Automobile bumper



web 27, 1923.

F. A. WERNIG AUTOMOBILE BUMPER Filed July l5, 1921 Patented Feb. 27, i923.

NETE@ ilptltdttl@ @FFHCD' .LUTOMIOBELE BUidPER.

Application tiled July 13 To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, FREDERICK A. Wnnnre, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful llmpro-Vements in Automobile Bumpers, of which the following is a Specication.

rlhis invention relates to improvemenm in automobile bumpers.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an automobile bumper of improved construction which may be formed conveniently of resilient spring steel strips and which will be attractive in appearance as well as eicient and durable.

Another object is to permit ready adjustment of the parts to cars of varying types and sizes and having different widths of frames.

Another object of my invention is to provide a bumper of the spring loop type which will enable adjustment for varying widths of cars without detracting from the appearance of the bumper.

Another object of my invention is to produce a bumper in which a forwardly-bowed resilient contact member is supported by relativelyV rigid spring connection members contiguous to its opposite ends which have direct contact therewith without the interposition of loops or the like, and the intermediate portion between such relatively rigid supporting members is backed up and reinforced by looped spring members whereby the central portion of the bumper which is more often subjected to shocks is more resiliently supported and reinforced than the opposite ends of the bumper.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the combination of members and arrangement of parts so combined as to co-act and cooperate with each other in the performance of the functions and the accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and comprises in one of its adaptations the species or preferred form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which j Fig. 1 is a top or plan View of an automobile bumper embodying my invention;

F ig. 2 is a front elevation of the bumper shown in Fig. 1f;

, i921. sensi no. aaien.

Fig. 3 is a side view of one end of the bumper; and

FigK 4f is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to these drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention7 1 indicates an impact bar which, as shown, is curved or bowed forwardly and ext-ends transversely across the front of the car and beyond the Wheels thereof. The opposite terminal portions of the bar 1 are bent to form integral return -loops 2 and 3. The ends QQ-f of such terminal loop portions extend inwardly toward the middle and forwardly toward the inner surface of the bar 1, the said terminal ends preferably being disposed adjacent to the said inner surface of the bar l to permit the formation of channels et and 5 respectively between such terminal ends and the inner surface of said bar 1.

Said impact bar 1 is supported contiguous to its opposite ends in horizontal position by connecting bars 6 and 7 which are connected at their inner ends to bracket bars 8 and 9 respectively, which are in turn connected to the sills 10 and 11 of the chassis by bolts 12 and 13. rlhese bracket bars 8 and 9 eX- tend directly outward parallel to the sills 10 and 11 and substantially at a right angle to the impact bar 1, and the connecting bars 6 and 7 respectively, which are preferably connected to said brackets 8 and 9 by rivets 14 and 15, extend from substantially the plane of said bracket bars 8 and 9 in outwardly-disposed lateral curves until the terminal ends -7 thereof extend into the channels 4f and 5 respectively formed between the terminal ends QL-S of the return loops 2 and 3 and the inner surface of the contact bar l.

It will be apparent that an impact bar so mounted may be adjusted on the outwardly curved bars 6 and 7 to permit attachment of the bumper to cars having` varying widths of body, and this adjustment may be accomplished without detracting from the ornamental and finished appearance of the impact bar 1 Theabutting terminal ends of the bars 6 and 7 and the impact bar 1 are preferably securely connected together by straps 16 and 17 respectively.

It will also be apparent that a veryneat connection is formed between the supporting or connecting bars 6 and 7 and the impact bar l and that a bar so supported at its opposite ends isfexceedingly 'flexible and would in the event-fot collision o1c great'intensity at or about the middle portion thereof tend to be unduly bent inwardlyat such middle portion and in bending would 'to a vconsiderable degree swing about the straps 1.6 and l? astul- 10 crums. While such flexibility is very desir able to a certain extent-it isl important that the impact bar l and the bars 6 and 7 be not bent into permanent xdeiormation, and l therefore preferably reiniiorcethemifddle portions oi' theimpact bar iby means of spring loop members i8 and 19 respectively YWhiclfi are fastened to and' extend trom-.the sides `ofthe bracket .bars 8 and 9 opposite to Vthaton .which the bars@v and 7 are-fastenedv'andzarelthence curvedinwardly tofward thefmiddle of the car body into Vloops 18a- 19a Awith return portions 18h-19h abutting against the inner surface ot' the impact :bar 1,andpreferably 'lia-sten thereto by but ton head rivets 20-21 extending, as shown, through slots @l2-'23 iinthe impact bar l. The curvedinwardly extending portion of. -Ytheloop` membery 18 is preferably spaced a suitable distance'i'rom its terminal portion which abuts against the impact bar and the parts are so arranged that' when acollision strain oi' extraordinary torce is imposed on the middle of the impactfbar, it Will be 14' taken up and absorbed by the impact bar an d the terminal members l8b-19b of the loop members 18 and 1S) respectively, and ii' thelstrain is great enoufrrh,` it Willibe further lresiliently resisted by the primary arms 118 andi 19 or` the respective loopfmembers.

The-zopera'tion `of the bumper will be apparent from the foregoing description.

Hav-ing described my. invention, l claim zpl. An automobile bumper embodying an impact 'bar having integral loop portions at its opposite ends, said loops terminating ad- 'jacent to the inner surface of the impact bar -adjaceniJ to said outer end,` straps extending around the impact bar and the termi-nal portionsof the loop and forming a channel, supA porting members movable Within said channel to adjustably support the impact bar adjacent-to its outer ends'.

2. An automobilev bumper embodying an impactV bar having integral loopportions at its opposite ends, said loops terminating` adjacent to the inner surface of the impact bar adjacent to saidouter endn straps extending around the impact vbar and the terminal portions of the loop and forming a channel, con- (50 necting Imembers exten ding Within said channel and -curved to extend substantially 'at right `angles'to said impact bar and meansl iorfasteningv said connecting members to tho automobile body. o5

3. rin automobile bumperembodying an impact bar having integral loop portions at its opposite ends, said loops terminating adjacent to the inner surface of the impact bar adjacentto said outer end, straps extending around the impact bar and the terminal portions of the loop and forming a channel, connecting members extending Within said channel Vand curved to extend substantially at right angles to said impact bar, bracket bars secured to said connecting members at one end andto theautomobile body at the opposite end. Y

ll. An automobile bumper .embodying an impact bar having integral loop aportions at opposite ends, said loops terininatingfadjacent to thev inner surface of the impactibar adjacent to'said outer end,'strapsfextending around the impact bar and the terminal pon tions of the loop and orminga 1clia'nnel,con

necting members extending Within said channel and curved toV extend substantially at right angles to said impactbar,fbracket members secured to saidconnecting'members at one end and 4to the automobile -bodyfat the one end andp'toxthe'automobile body'fat the opposite end, loops extending 1in-a direction opposite 'to the connecting menibers'andhaving terminal'` portions vabutting against the impact bar to resiliently reinforce the middle portion of .the im actjbaraeainst shock and means ior fastening saidjterminal loon portion to `thel impact 'bar between `the a. l l

points'ot support thereof.

6. An automobile bumperembodyingan impact bar having integral l.loop portions ,at its opposite ends,-Jsaid rloops"fterminatingadjacent to thefin'ner surface of the impact vbar adj acentto said outer end, `straps extending around the impact bar and Vthe,terminal portionsof the loop-and jforming'a channel, :corr necting members extending "Within Vsaid channel and curved to extend'substantially at right anglesto said impact bar-,lograclret bars secured to said connectingmembersvat one' end and tothe automobile lbody `jat' :the opposite end, loops extending in a "direction opposite 'to the' connecting Vmembers `fand? havin g terminal portions abutting iagai-rist"the impact bar to resiliently reinforceithe middle portion of the impact bar against shock,

mme@

means for fastening Said ermnal Koop p0rlLion to the impecbar between the points of snppot thereof, Jhe said loop being disposed te have its inner arm spaced from `the emnnal abutting portions of the Said loop and the impact bar.

Tn witness whereof, l have signed my name to the folegong speemton n FHD presence of two Snbscrnngf W'nesees.

FREEHICK l. YVERNG Wtnesses z HELEN V. WHIDDEN, JULIUS H. LENTZ. 

